Stop block device of measuring tape

ABSTRACT

The present invention discloses a stop block device of a measuring tape, particularly a measuring tape capable of retracting the tape and increasing the buffer of stopping and blocking effect to prevent the shear force produced by excessive retracting speed. A stop block button, which is an improved structure, constitutes a stop block effect by pressing down the button to improve the life of the measuring tape and the safety to user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a stop block device of a measuring tape, more particularly to a measuring tape capable of retracting the tape and increasing the buffer of stopping and blocking effect to prevent the shear force produced by excessive retracting speed. An improved structure of a stop block button constitutes a stop block effect by pressing down the button to improve the life of the measuring tape and the safety to user.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] In general, a traditional measuring tape usually has an internal tape wheel having a concentric spiral flexible bracket coiled at the center of the wheel and a ruler coiled around the exterior of the wheel. A flange is disposed at the front end of the ruler, and the central section of the flexible bracket of the tape wheel sleeves through the central axle on the left external casing. A buffering stop block is disposed at the front end of the ruler, and latched into the front end of the bottom of the left external casing, and the other side of the buffering stop block is latched into the front end of the bottom of the right external casing. The right external casing has screws installed into the screw hole for securing the central axle at the left external casing and fixed onto a pillar to constitute a measuring tape. The operation of the traditional product is to pull the ruler of the measuring tape to an appropriate length for measurement. After the measurement is completed, the front end of the measuring tape is released and the ruler of the measuring tape will be retracted since the measuring tape has a coiled flexible bracket (with an action similar to the winding) and gives a powerful automatic retracting function. The longer the ruler is pulled, the faster is the retracting speed. If the measuring tape is made of metal plate, then it may cut the user's hand very easily. It definitely cause inconvenience for its use. Furthermore, if the retracting speed is too fast, the end of the ruler will impact on the buffering member with a large force. In general, the structure of the conventional buffering member usually does not have a good buffering effect, and thus cause the front end of the measuring tape to fall off, and makes the measuring tape unusable.

[0005] To make the measuring tape more convenient to use and practical, the inventor of the present invention with many years in the related field performing a series of researches and developments to enhance the stop block device of the measuring tape, and finally succeeds to invent the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a stop block device of a measuring tape, and such stop block device has a button for pressing downward to constitute a stopping and blocking effect in order to enhance the buffering effect and reducing the impact of the retracting ruler, and improve the safety and life of the measuring tape.

[0007] To make it easier for our examiner to understand the objective of the invention, its structure, innovative features, and performance, we use a preferred embodiment together with the attached drawings for the detailed description of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0009]FIG. 1 is an illustrative diagram of the assembled structure of the present invention.

[0010]FIG. 2 is an illustrative diagram of the disassembled parts of the structure of the present invention.

[0011]FIG. 3 is an illustrative diagram of the right external casing structure of the present invention.

[0012]FIG. 4 is an illustrative diagram of the left external casing structure of the present invention.

[0013]FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are illustrative diagrams of the stop block button structure of the present invention.

[0014]FIG. 7 is an illustrative diagram of the latch bracket structure of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] In the detailed description of the preferred embodiments, it should be noted that like elements are indicated by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure. Please refer to FIG. 1 to FIG. 7. The stop block device of a measuring tape of the present invention comprises a right external casing 1, a left external casing 2, a buffering member 3, a wheel 4, a stop block button 5, and a latch bracket 6, wherein:

[0016] the right external casing 1, integrally made of plastic material, and a central screw hole 11 being disposed at the center of the inner layer of the right external casing 1, a screw hole 12 at the front end of the lower edge of the inner layer; a tubular screw hole 13 being disposed at rear end of the lower upper edge of the inner layer; furthermore, a screw hole 14 being disposed at the upper edge of the inner layer; the lower edge of the screw hole 14 having a circular latching axle hole 15, and the front end of the lower edge of the inner layer having two rectangular latch brackets 16, and the lower end of the inner layer having a stop block 17, and such stop block having an aslant surface 18 on its external side;

[0017] the left external casing 2, integrally made of plastic material, and a central axle 21 being protruded from the center of the inner layer of the left external casing 2, a fixed screw pillar 22 protruded at the front end of the lower edge of the inner layer; a fixed screw pillar 23 being disposed at rear end of the lower upper edge of the inner layer; furthermore, a fixed screw hole 24 being disposed at the upper edge of the inner layer of the left external casing; the lower edge of the screw hole 24 having a circular latching axle hole 25, and the front end of the lower edge of the inner layer having two rectangular latch brackets 26, and the lower end of latch bracket 26 having a stop block protrusion 27, and such stop block protrusion having an aslant surface 28 on its external side;

[0018] the wheel 4, at its center being coiled with a concentric spiral flexible plate 41, at its exterior being coiled with a ruler 42, a ruler head 23 riveted the front end of the ruler 42, and both sides of the wheel 4 each having a with a wheel guard 44, 45 on each side;

[0019] the stop block button 5, integrally made of a plastic material, having a latch wing 51, 52 on both sides of its middle section and two triangular stop block cones 53 protruded form the inner side of the stop block button 5;

[0020] the latch bracket 6, integrally made of a plastic material, having a fixed axle rod 61 transversally disposed, and a hollow latch groove 62 being disposed at the middle section of the latch bracket 6, and the latch groove 62 at its bottom having an aslant surface 63; furthermore, the latch bracket 6 at both sides of its bottom having a downwardly aslant stop and block surface 64;

[0021] by means of sleeving the central section of the flexible plate 41 of the wheel 4 into the axle 21 of the left external casing 2, and having a buffering member 3 at the front end of the ruler 42 latched to the front end of the bottom of the left external casing 2, and the fixing axle rod 61 at the top of the latch bracket 6 being latched into the latch axle hole 25 of the left external casing 2, and the latch bracket 6 at a side of the bottom having a stop block surface 64 being disposed between the two rectangular latch plates 26 at the front end of the inner layer of the left external casing 2, and the latch wing 51 at the middle section of the stop block button 5 being latched to the front edge of the inner layer of the left external casing 2, wherein the stop block cone 53 at the center of the inner side of the stop block button 5 passing into the latch groove 62 at the middle section of the latch bracket 6 and further covering and aligning with the right external 1, and another side of the buffering member 3 being latched to the front end of the bottom of the right external casing 1, and the other end of the fixed axle rod 61 at the top of the latch bracket 6 being coupled into the latch axle hole 15 of the right external casing 1, and the stop block surface 64 on the other side of the bottom of the latch bracket 6 passing into the two rectangular latch plates 16 at the front end of the lower edge of the inner layer of the right external casing 1, and the latch wing 52 on the other side at the middle section of the stop block button 5 latching to the front edge of the inner layer of the right external casing; a plurality of screws 7 passing through the central screw hole 11 and screw holes 12, 13, 14 to secure the central axle of the left external casing 2 to the fixed screw pillars 22, 23 and fixed screw hole 25 to constitute an integral measuring tape.

[0022] In the forgoing components of the assembly of the present invention, the ruler 42 is pulled out to an appropriate length for use. When the ruler of the measuring tape needs to be fixed into a position, the stop block button 5 can be pressed down so that the stop block cone 53 protruded at the center of the inner side of the stop block button 5 propping against the latch bracket 6 inward, and the latch bracket 6 being integrally made of plastic material, and both ends of the fixed axle rod 61 at the top of the latch bracket 6 separately coupled to the latch axle hole 25 of the left external casing 2 and the latch axle hole 15 of the right external casing 1; furthermore, the stop block surface 64 on both sides of the bottom of the latch bracket 6 separately passing into the two rectangular latch plates 26 at the front end of the bottom of the inner layer of the left casing 2 and the two rectangular latch plates 16 at the front end of the bottom of the inner layer of the right casing 1, and thus restricting the stop block surface 64 on both sides of the bottom of the latch bracket 6 to displace downward only, while working together with the design of aslant surface 18 of the stop block 27 at lower end of the inner layer of the right external casing 1; when the stop block button 5 is pressed down, it forces the latch bracket 6 to displace downward, so that the mutual clipping relation of the stop block surface 64 on both sides of the bottom of the latch bracket 6 and the foregoing aslant surface 18, 28 gives the effect of fixing and stopping the retracting ruler 42.

[0023] In summation of the above description, the present invention herein enhances the performance than the conventional structure and further complies with the patent application requirements and is submitted to the Patent and Trademark Office for review and granting of the commensurate patent rights.

[0024] While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretations and equivalent arrangements. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A stop block device of a measuring tape, said measuring tape comprising of a right external casing, a left external casing, a buffering member, a wheel, a stop block button, and a latch bracket; wherein: the right external casing, being integrally made of a plastic material, having a central screw hole disposed at the center of the inner layer of the right external casing, and a screw hole at the front end of the lower edge of the inner layer, a tubular screw hole at the rear end of the lower edge of the inner edge, and a screw hole at the upper edge of the inner layer of the right external casing, and said screw hole at its lower end having a circular latch axle hole and at the front end of the lower edge of the inner layer having two rectangular latch plates, as the lower end of the latch plate having a stop block and such stop block at its outer side having an aslant surface; the left external casing, being integrally made of a plastic material, having a central axle protruded from at the center of the inner layer of the left external casing, and a fixed screw pillar protruded from the front end of the lower edge of the inner layer, a fixed screw pillar protruded from the rear end of the lower edge of the inner layer; the left external casing at its upper edge of the inner layer having a fixed screw hole, and the fixed screw hole at its lower end having a circular latch axle hole, and at the front end of the lower edge of the inner edge having two rectangular latch plates, and said latch plate at its lower end having a stop block, and said stop block at its external side having an aslant surface; the wheel, having a concentric spiral flexible plates coiled at its center, and a ruler coiled around its exterior, and said ruler at its front end riveting a ruler head and having a wheel guard on each side of the wheel; the stop block button, being integrally made of a plastic material, having a latch wing each disposed on both side of its middle section, and the stop block button at the center of its inner side having two triangular stop block cones; the latch bracket, being integrally made of a plastic material, having a fixed axle rod transversally disposed at is top, and the latch bracket at its middle section having a hollow latch groove, and the latch groove at its bottom edge having an aslant surface; and the latch bracket at the bottom of both of its sides each having a stop block surface aslant downward; by means of sleeving the central section of the flexible plate of the wheel to the central axle of the left external casing, and latching the buffering member at the front end of the ruler to the front end of the bottom of the left external casing, an end of the fixed axle rod at the top of the latch bracket being coupled to the latch axle hole of the left external casing, and the latch bracket on an end of the bottom edge having a stop block surface being disposed between the two rectangular latch plates at the front end of the lower edge of the inner layer of the left external casing, and the latch wing at a side of the middle section of the stop block button being disposed in the latch groove at the middle section of the latch bracket and covering and aligning with the right external casing, and another side of the buffering member latching to the front end of the bottom of the right external casing, and another end of the fixed axle rod at the top of the latch bracket being pivotally coupled to the latch axle hole of the right external casing, and the stop block surface at another side of the bottom edge of the latch bracket being disposed between the two rectangular latch plates at the front end of the bottom of the inner layer of the right external casing, and the latch wing on a side of the middle section of the stop block button latching to the front end of the inner layer of the right external casing; a plurality of screws separately passing through the central screw hole and screw holes and securing the central axle, fixed screw pillars, and fixed screw holes of the left external casing to constitute a measuring tape. 